The Calling
by Bigby the Big Bad Wolf
Summary: My entry in Rapidfyrez's OC Tournament intertwined with my story The Snow Queen and the Winter Knight. The Story-Keeper has called upon Daniel Jackson to enter a deadly tournament, hosted by the Caretaker, a twisted being on par with the Shrouded Queen. Can Daniel win the tournament, defeat the Caretaker, and return to Elsa?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: Frozen does not belong to me. Only my OC's, Daniel Jackson and the Story-Keeper, belong to me.**

**Hello, everyone. As I said in the story summary, this is my entry in an OC tournament made by Rapidfyrez. My good friend, the Incredible Muffin, invited me to the tournament and suggested that I submit Daniel Jackson in. I was hesitant at first but eventually I decided to give it a shot. I was surprised my entry got accepted to be honest.**

**Now those following my story The Snow Queen and the Winter Knight, be warned. There's a bit of AUish and spoiler stuff in this chapter. But still, I hope you enjoy it.**

**The Calling**

**Prologue: A new threat**

The Story-Keeper frowned. He couldn't help it. To a being like him, such a feeling was hard to ignore.

"Has it already been fifty years?" He said to himself as he wondered through the vast darkness of space. He scowled. "The battle is about to start again. And this time, I'm not sitting on the sidelines."

There were far and few times when the Story-Keeper was this serious. Usually regarding his arch-nemesis the Shrouded Queen. But the one responsible for his unease was somebody who was just as bad if not worse.

"The Caretaker is at it again," The Story-Keeper mused. "Why that damn station of his is still standing frustrates me to no end. _Somebody _should've blown that thing to Kingdom Come by now! No doubt it's already gathering warriors for the Caretaker's sick little game. No more! I'm putting a stop to this once and for all!"

But the Story-Keeper knew that he could do nothing directly. Ancient laws, as old as the multiverse itself, prevented him from doing so. Besides, a confrontation between him and the Caretaker would only end in disaster. No, if the Story-Keeper hoped to stop the Caretaker, he would have no choice but to play by that sick freak's rules. Which meant he would have to enter someone in that damned tournament. And he knew exactly who to send.

"Forgive me," He said quietly, his voice full of remorse for what he was about to do.

* * *

Daniel was enjoying himself. With the Shrouded Queen defeated, he could finally rest and relax. Right now he was spending time in Arendelle. He had a duty to the kingdom as the Winter Knight, after all.

"Come on, Daniel!" Princess Anna urged, dragging him across the castle hall by his arm. Though she made an effort to avoid getting stepped on by her friend's mechanical foot. "Elsa's about to start."

"Alright, alright," Daniel said as he struggled to keep up with her. "Take it easy, girl!"

Soon the two reached the courtyard where Elsa was standing with of the servants and citizens, each of whom was very warmly dressed. The queen turned and beamed when she saw her sister and knight/lover.

"You made it!" She exclaimed, running over and hugging Anna and then Daniel. Daniel took extra care not to hug her too hard with his mechanical arm. He often forgot how strong his new appendage was.

"Wouldn't have missed it for the world," Daniel said, kissing Elsa on the cheek. "Though try telling that to Anna."

Anna put her hands on her hips and stuck her tongue out playfully.

"Oh, that's nice, Anna," Daniel joked. "You're an inspiration to princesses everywhere."

Anna huffed while Elsa giggled. "Alright, you two. Are you ready?"

"Of course!" Anna said excitedly.

"Always!" Daniel smiled.

With her own wide smile, Elsa raised her hands and focused her powers. She created a massive gust of wind as the courtyard started filling up with snow. The gathered children giggled happily, eager to play in the pure white fun. Their parents held them until Elsa was completely finished. Once the courtyard was covered in a thick blanket of snow, the children tore away from their parents and began playing in it. Soon the adults joined in the fun.

Some were making snow angels and forts, while others rode their sleds on large heaps that Elsa made especially for sledding.

"Beautiful as always, Elsa," Daniel said, taking his lover's hand and kissing her knuckles. Elsa looked away sheepishly, her cheeks already starting to redden.

Smack!

Suddenly a snowball collided with Elsa's face. Stunned, she turned in the direction the snowball came from. Standing there was Anna, obviously feigning innocence.

Daniel shook his head while sighing dramatically. "Anna, you're seriously gonna pick a fight with a Snow Queen? Not very smart."

Elsa smirked at her sister. "He's right, Anna." Weaving her magic, Elsa created a beach ball sized snowball. Anna's eyes widened and she hesitantly took a step back. Elsa's smile grew as she charged at her sister, who wisely took off running. But it wasn't fast enough as Elsa sent her snowball barreling into her sister's back, sending Anna sprawling face first into the snow. Anna weakly picked herself up, brushing the snow off her clothes.

"Serves you right," Daniel chuckled.

Bam!"

The next thing Daniel knew, he was seeing white and feeling cold in the face. The sudden action startled him, causing him to trip and fall flat out on his back onto the snow.

"Ha!" Anna cried. "Serves _you _right!"

Daniel brushed the snow off his face, glaring at the smirking princess. "Not bad, Anna. Not bad."

"That wasn't me," Anna teased, showing her teeth. Daniel raised a brow in confusion before his eyes landed on Elsa, who was now the one feigning innocence.

Daniel was temporarily stunned by the fact that Elsa had been the one to hit him, but that was soon replaced by a sinister grin. "Oh? So that's your game is it?"

"Daniel, you're seriously gonna pick a fight with a Snow Queen?" Anna asked, using his own words against him. "Not very smart."

"Not very smart for you, maybe," Daniel retorted, causing Anna to give him a look of indignation. "But a Winter Knight is just the person for the job." He scooped up some snow.

"Oh?" Elsa conjured a snowball. "And have you forgotten that queen outranks knight?"

"Maybe," Daniel teased. "But sometimes a knight can overtake a queen." Daniel made a face. "I feel like we're suddenly talking about chess."

Rather than reply verbally, Elsa simply fired her snowball with the force of a cannon. She didn't do that in most snowball fights but she knew her love could handle it. Her thoughts were confirmed as Daniel blocked her snowball with his arm. He was still knocked back but his arm took the force of the blow. With his organic left hand, Daniel knew the snowball. He didn't risk using his right hand as he feared putting too much force and potentially hurting Elsa. Still, Elsa dodged his snowball with ease. Rather than create a new one, she raised her hand. The next thing Daniel knew, he was buried under a massive heap of snow.

Anna clutched her stomach, as she was laughing too hard. Daniel's legs and arms were sticking out of the heap Elsa buried him in, making him look so comical. Elsa held her hand in front of her mouth, trying to control her own giggling but with great effort.

_Oh. She wants to play rough does she?_ Daniel thought to himself. Bending his knees, Daniel kicked off the ground, out of the pile, and right towards Elsa, his mechanical leg giving him a boost. Elsa was unprepared for the sudden attack and Daniel knocked her to the ground.

"Gotcha!" Daniel said triumphantly. The next thing he knew, a snowball collided with the side of his head. He looked over at Anna, who was already clutching a new snowball in her hand. "Hey! Who said you can team up?"

Elsa smirked at him. "It's a snowball fight. Anything goes." She raised her hand and part of the snow rose up to knock Daniel off of her. Daniel sprawled on the ground but quickly got back on his feet.

"Oh? Fighting dirty are we?" Daniel taunted. "What's wrong? The big bad Snow Queen can't take me one on one?"

"Oh, I can," Elsa sneered. "But it's more fun ganging up on you." She began pelting Daniel with snowballs. And with her powers, she wasn't likely to run out anytime this millennium. But Daniel wasn't her knight for nothing. A snowball fight was still a fight. So all he needed was the right strategy to win. And he knew exactly which one to employ.

"Hey, Kristoff!" Daniel shouted behind Anna. "Come over here, man, and lend me a hand."

"Kristoff?" Anna and Elsa both turned around to see the ice harvester. But there was no one there. By the time the two sisters realized they had been tricked, they were both tackled to the snow.

"Oldest trick in the book," Daniel said.

"No fair!" Anna squired. She was being pinned down by Daniel's mechanical arm.

"All's fair in love and war, Anna," Daniel retorted. "Now for the coup de grace." He started tickling both sisters, causing them to burst out laughing.

"N-no fair, D-Daniel!" Elsa thrashed wildly, trying to break free. She was too frazzled to conjure up any snow.

"Y-yeah!" Anna wheezed. Daniel's prosthetic being able to tickle her despite her thick clothing. "T-this is a s-snow fight. N-not tickle fight!"

"Who says you can't tickle in a snow fight?" Daniel asked, increasing the tickling. "Give up, you two?"

"N-never!" Anna declared.

Daniel grinned. "Oh? Well you asked for it!"

But before he could continue with his threat, Elsa finally managed to catch some air and unleashed a small amount of her ice breath on the unsuspecting knight. The sudden coldness caught Daniel off guard, putting a halt to his tickling. Anna saw her opportunity and kicked Daniel off her and Elsa.

"Dog-pile!" Anna cried. Both she and Elsa body-slammed Daniel.

"Oof!" Daniel grunted at the combined weight of the sisters pinning him down.

"You're turn," Elsa smiled wickedly at Daniel, who paled upon realization.

"Uh-ahahahaha!" The two sisters began relentlessly tickling Daniel in retribution. Though they made sure to stay clear of his artificial limbs. Daniel was just as ticklish as them, if not more so.

"Give up, Daniel?" Anna asked, her voice dripping with sinister sweetness.

"T-The Winter Knight n-never gives up!" Daniel yelled.

"Not even if his queen commands it?" Elsa asked playfully.

"Well now, you all seem to be having a good time."

That voice almost instantly killed the good mood shared by the knight and the sisters. All three turned to see the Story-Keeper walking towards them. Anna's face darkened upon seeing him.

"What are _you_ doing here?" She asked, her voice full of venom. She and Elsa rose to their feet, allowing Daniel to join them. Though Elsa and Daniel were not as hostile to the Story-Keeper, they were less than thrilled to see him.

"Hello, Anna," The Story-Keeper said softly. He knew the three still hated him and would for a long time, if not for the rest of their lives. And if they didn't, they probably would today.

"What are you doing here?" Anna repeated nastily. "Haven't you done enough?"

Daniel couldn't resist eyeing his artificial arm. While he had become accustomed to it, he still remembered what he had been put through to get it. All because of the Story-Keeper.

"I could never express how sorry I am for the pain I've brought you," The Story-Keeper said sincerely, not that it mattered much to the three before him. Apologies could only go so far. "But I need Daniel for something very important."

"Oh and what would that be?" Anna asked. "Gonna let somebody else torture him?"

"Anna!" Elsa snapped. Though she too was angry at the Story-Keeper, Anna was getting carried away. Anna backed off but her glare remained. Elsa took a breath before facing the Story-Keeper. "What _is _it you need Daniel for?"

The Story-Keeper eyed the three. "A new threat is coming. One as bad as the Shrouded Queen if not worse."

The three were stunned by the news. Something worse than the Shrouded Queen? It took everything they had to beat her. What could be worse?

"There is a place," The Story-Keeper said. "A place called Station S-6-S."

"A space station?" Elsa asked, familiar with such places due to her universal travels.

The Story-Keeper nodded. "The station is run by a piece of filth called the Caretaker. A revolting little thing who finds sadistic pleasure in the suffering of others just like the Shrouded Queen. Though his methods are far different from hers."

"How so?" Daniel asked, not thrilled at the idea of going up against somebody similar to the Shrouded Queen.

"Every fifty years, the station draws warriors from all over to it, where they fight in a twisted little tournament of the Caretaker's."

"The station draws the warriors?" Elsa asked in confusion.

"Indeed," The Story-Keeper said. "The Caretaker decided to take advantage of that to turn the station into his own little arena, to force the force the warriors the station gathers to fight!"

"Why?" A shocked Anna asked. "Why does he do it?"

"Nobody really knows. Not even I," The Story-Keeper said. "Because the Caretaker was biding his time, I focused on more pressing matters: namely the Shrouded Queen."

Elsa's brow furrowed. She was used to gladiatorial battles during her travels and such places disgusted her to no end. "And you want Daniel to fight in this tournament?"

The Story-Keeper's silence was all the answer Elsa needed. "Why not me?" She asked, shocking Anna and Daniel. "I was your champion against the Shrouded Queen. Enter me in this tournament instead."

"Elsa," Daniel put a hand on her shoulder. He looked over at the Story-Keeper. "Is it a fight to the death?"

"It can be from what I gathered," The Story-Keeper admitted quietly, causing Elsa's eyes to widen. "Depends on what mood the Caretaker is in, I guess."

Daniel closed his eyes, both of his fists tightening in frustration. A fight to the death?

"That's why you want Daniel to fight," Elsa realized. Suddenly ice was beginning to form around her. "In case one of us was to die, you'd rather Daniel die instead of me. Is that it?"

"Elsa..." The Story-Keeper began.

"This is just like the Shrouded Queen," Elsa snarled. "You allowed her to hurt Daniel just so that it wasn't me. Because I'm 'more important'."

"Elsa that's not why I..." The Story-Keeper tried to say.

"I don't want to hear it!" Elsa snapped at him. A spike of ice rose from the ground, stopping just in front of the Story-Keeper's face.

"Elsa, please," The three were taken aback by the Story-Keeper's sad tone. "I know I wronged you and Daniel terribly. And as I said before, I will do everything in my power to make up for it..."

"Good, then use your power to make yourself disappear!" Anna yelled.

"If only things were so simple," The Story-Keeper said. "But I can't just sit by and do nothing while the Caretaker continues his sick games. He has to be stopped. Just like with the Shrouded Queen, I cannot directly confront the Caretaker without risk. But if I have someone fighting in the tournament..."

"An inside job?" Daniel figured.

"Exactly," The Story-Keeper said.

Elsa was torn so very badly. At the moment, she wanted nothing to do with the Story-Keeper but she also knew that if they rejected, it was possible he was just going to pick somebody else to fight in the tournament.

"The Caretaker needs to be stopped?" Daniel said quietly.

"Yes," The Story-Keeper said, just as quiet. "He must be stopped."

Daniel nodded before opening his eyes. "Then I accept."

"Thank you, Daniel," The Story-Keeper said. "I will allow you to have one night here and then I will take you to the station. Listen to me carefully, Daniel. You will be going up against powerful opponents in this tournament. You're going to need all your wits and all your skills if you wish to survive, let alone win this tournament."

Daniel chuckled without humor. "Just another day in my life, huh?"

The Story-Keeper did not respond to that. "One night. That is all I can afford to give you." With a snap of his fingers, the Story-Keeper disappeared.

Elsa looked at her feet. She knew Daniel would accept. The two of them could not turn their back on people who needed them. But a tournament to the death? Elsa noticed that the citizens had stopped playing in the snow and were now looking at her, Anna, and Daniel, no doubt hearing everything. Elsa closed her eyes and made her way back to the castle. She didn't want to play anymore.

Anna and Daniel looked at each other. "Do you really have to enter?" Anna asked. "I get you want to stop this Caretaker guy, but there's going to other warriors in this tournament. I'm sure one of them can stop him."

"I know," Daniel said, still looking in the direction Elsa left. "But...I can't take that chance."

"And what about Elsa? Do you know worried she was when you were captured by the Shrouded Queen? Do you know how devastated she was when she found out what that...that..._bitch _put you through?!" Daniel was taken aback by the fact that Anna had actually swore. Taking a moment for Anna to calm down, he sighed.

"Anna, I don't _want_ to put Elsa through that again. I _won't _put her through that again. I can do this."

"You don't know that!" Anna yelled. "You don't know if you'll come back fine or if you'll even come back at all. If you die, Elsa will be...will be...,"

Daniel closed his eyes and made his way back to the castle.

"Don't do this, Daniel!" Anna pleaded. "Don't do this to her!"

But Daniel said nothing to Anna as he entered the castle and made his way to Elsa's room. Gently, he knocked.

"Elsa?" He called quietly. "Are you in there? May I come in?"

A muffled sound came from within. Daniel turned the handle and entered. He was greeted by a blast of coldness. Elsa was sitting on her bed, her eyes on the floor. Ice was slowly but surely starting to form on the bed and on the floor around her. Daniel slowly made his way over to Elsa and sat on the bed, trying to ignore how cold his backside was starting to feel.

"Elsa?" He asked softly. His beloved queen did not respond, simply staring at the floor. "Elsa" He tried again, gently cupping her chin. Still nothing. "Elsa, please look at me."

Slowly turning her head, Elsa looked up at Daniel's face and not for the first time, Daniel found himself lost in her beautiful blue eyes. Suddenly Elsa flung herself at Daniel, wrapping her arms around him. Daniel was taken aback only for a second before he returned the favor.

"I don't want you to go," Elsa said, burying her face into his shoulder. "I understand why you accepted but I still don't want you to."

"I know," Daniel whispered, rubbing circles on her back.

"I almost lost you once," Elsa said, tightening her hold on Daniel. "I don't want to lose you for real."

"I won't let that happen," Daniel said firmly. "I'll win this, put an end to the Caretaker, and then come back to you."

He managed to get a chuckle out Elsa with that one. "You're always so confident in yourself."

"Without confidence," Daniel said with a smile. "Where would anyone be?"

Elsa smiled back but did not relinquish her hold. Not that Daniel wanted to anyway. The two just sat there, holding each other and taking comfort in each other'e presence.

Elsa pulled back a bit to look at Daniel again. Suddenly she grabbed him by his collar and pulled him into a passionate kiss. Daniel's eyes widened at the sudden action but soon he melted into it, wrapping his arms delicately around Elsa. The Snow Queen began weaving her hands through her lover's messy black hair while Daniel stroked her back again. Elsa shifted herself so that she was now sitting in Daniel's lap, moving her lips away from his mouth to nibble his ear. Daniel's organic hand made its way to her leg, squeezing the back of her thigh with his fingers while caressing the front of it with his thumb. Elsa let out a pleasure-filled gasp. Smirking, Daniel leaned forward and began leaving a trail of kisses down his queen's oh so delicious neck, earning sweet moans from said queen. Not for the first time, Daniel wondered what he could've possibly done in his life to earn the love of such a heavenly creature like Elsa. He found her sweet spot and began to softly suckle, earning a louder gasp from her.

Daniel suddenly found himself on his back with Elsa straddling him, capturing his lips in a searing kiss. The two continued until the need for air forced them apart.

"W-wow," Daniel muttered.

"Y-yeah," Stammered a flustered Elsa. Despite how intimate she and Daniel had become, she was still amazed at her own behavior. It certainly wasn't how a proper queen should act. But...Elsa really didn't mind all that much.

Smiling, Daniel reached out to caress Elsa's check. Smiling back, Elsa closed her eyes and leaned into the touch.

"You're so beautiful," Daniel whispered to her and Elsa blushed. She was used to being called beautiful by countless people, but hearing her knight say it always made her feel special.

The two said nothing, just stared into each other's eyes.

Suddenly there was a knock at Elsa's door. "Elsa?" Anna called. "Are you in there? Is Daniel with you? Err, if I'm interrupting anything, I'm sorry! I'll, uh, I just, uh...I'll come back later!"

Both Daniel and Elsa's faces were dark red. Elsa looked back and forth between the door and Daniel. "I'm sorry," She whispered to Daniel. "I..."

"I understand," Daniel said, stroking Elsa's cheek a little more. Elsa gave Daniel a chaste kiss before climbing off him and the bed before going out the door and chasing after Anna. No doubt they were going to be talking about him going with the Story-Keeper.

"Elsa!" Anna's voice echoed down the hall. "You can't let him do this! There has to be another way!"

"If there was another way, the Story-Keeper would have done it," Elsa argued back.

"Yeah, like we should actually trust that guy," Anna replied sarcastically.

"We have to have faith that Daniel will come back to us, Anna. That's all we can really do," Elsa said.

"But what if he doesn't come back? He makes you happy, Elsa. I don't want that happiness taken from you." Anna said softly.

"It'll be alright, Anna," Elsa said. "Daniel will come back. I know it."

Anna sighed, apparently realizing that there was no stopping this. "Fine. But if he dies, I'm gonna kill him."

Daniel resisted the urge to go out and make a snarky comment about that contradiction. Right now, Anna and Elsa deserve their alone time.

"I will come back," Daniel said, squeezing his fists tightly.

* * *

The moon shined bright on Arendelle tonight as Daniel got ready for bed. He didn't know when the Story-Keeper was coming for him tomorrow but he wouldn't be surprised if it was first thing in the morning.

Kristoff, Olaf, and Sven had returned some time later. Anna filled them in on what had been going on. Needless to say, Kristoff agreed with the others, shocked that Daniel would agree to help the Story-Keeper and put stress on Elsa. Daniel didn't bother defending himself. Kristoff was as stubborn as he was, and arguing would only make things worse. He just hoped he'd get a chance to say good-bye to everyone.

Just then there was a knock at the door. "Come in?" Daniel called.

The door opened to reveal Elsa, dressed for the night. Daniel couldn't resist as he drank in the vision of loveliness before him. "E-elsa?"

"Daniel," Elsa said, rubbing her hands together, a lovely shade of red on her snow white cheeks. It made her look so adorable.

"Elsa, what's wrong?" Daniel asked.

"Daniel," Elsa tried again. "Can I...Can I...sleep with you for tonight?"

Daniel's eyes widened and his face reddened. But then he realized what Elsa meant. She was asking if they could sleep _beside _each other, not...

"Of course," He said with a smile, as his blush and shock subsided. "I was getting ready for bed anyway."

"Thank you," Elsa said, going to his bed and crawling into it. In their travels, the two had found themselves having to share a bed on more than one occasion. Of course it was awkward at first, but now, the two enjoyed it very much. Once Elsa was settled, Daniel climbed in after her and put out the light. As the two snuggled next to each other, Daniel ran his hand through Elsa's hair, guiding his hand down her french braid and playing with the end of it between his thumb and index finger.

"Daniel," Elsa whispered.

"Yeah?" Daniel whispered back.

"Promise me you'll come back," She said.

"I _promise _I will come back," Daniel said quietly but firmly.

Elsa pressed up against Daniel, who held her gently.

"I love you," She said into his ear.

"I love you too," He said back.

And the two held each other in the darkness. Neither knew when sleep overcame them, but it eventually did.

* * *

When the morning came, Daniel awoke to find Elsa still asleep in his arms. Smiling, Daniel placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. Elsa stirred but remained asleep.

"Elsa," Daniel said softly. "Time to wake up."

"Five more minutes," Elsa mumbled. Daniel chuckled at the sight.

"Elsa, we need to wake up and get something to eat. Who knows when the Story-Keeper will show up."

Elsa sighed as she opened her eyes. "Right." The two untangled each other and climbed out of bed. Elsa made her way to the door but not before Daniel planted a good morning kiss on her cheek. Elsa raised her brow playfully but simply headed out to the door, wondering if the cooks were awake yet. Daniel sat down on the bed and rubbed a hand through his hair.

"The Day of Reckoning is upon me," He said to himself.

* * *

Things were rather tense at breakfast. Everyone ate without conversation. Not even the usually bubbly Anna had anything to say. Olaf, who had stayed home today, tried to lighten up the mood, but eventually gave up when he saw how down everybody was.

After everyone was done eating, they sat together in the Great Hall, waiting for the Story-Keeper to arrive. Daniel had his trusty weapons, the Darwin and Omn-Gun, on his person.

As if on time, Kai entered the hall, with the Story-Keeper behind him.

"Your majesty," He said to Elsa. "The Story-Keeper."

Elsa clenched her fists. As much as she knew this was going to happen, she hoped against hope that fate would be kind to her. Her eyes began to water as Daniel got up. He went over and hugged her close.

"I said I promise to come back and I will," He whispered to her.

Elsa nodded, a tear falling down her cheek. "You better."

He kissed her cheek. "I love you." With great reluctance, Daniel let go. He looked over at Anna. "Goodbye, Anna. I'm sorry."

Anna shocked him by suddenly hugging him. "Elsa believes in you, so I will too. You better come back. I'll never forgive you if you don't."

Olaf looked like he was about to burst into tears. If a snowman cried, did he cry tears? Snowflakes? Or nothing at all.

"Bye, Olaf," Daniel said to the little snowman, who ran up and hugged Daniel's legs.

"Bye, Daniel," The snowman sniffed. Once he let go, Daniel turned to face the Story-Keeper.

"I'm ready," He said quietly.

"Good," The Story-keeper said, though he too looked torn inside. "Let us be on own way." The Story-Keeper snapped his fingers. Daniel and the Story-Keeper vanished in a flash of light.

Olaf, Elsa, and Anna just stood there, looking at the spot where Daniel had been standing. Anna went over to her sister and put a hand on her shoulder, smiling when Elsa turned to look at her. Elsa gave a small smile back. Both sisters hoped for the best...but wondered if they should prepare for the worst.

* * *

Daniel now found himself standing with a rundown and decrepit place that he could only assume was the station the Story-Keeper talked about.

"So this is it?" Daniel asked, looking around. "Charming place. The Caretaker _certainly _lives up to his name."

"Daniel, no time for jokes right now," The Story-Keeper said, not all acting like his usual eccentric self. "The Caretaker is no doubt aware that we are here. Have you chosen what forms you Omni-Gun can become?"

"Not yet," Daniel said. "I don't know what universe we're in."

"This station is a nexus to the multiverse," The Story-Keeper said. "Which means your gun can turn into just about any firearm here."

Daniel looked at the Omni-Gun. Only during his battle with the Shrouded Queen had his gun gained such a power.

"I suggest you chose some forms with serious firepower," The Story-Keeper advised. "Your opponents may require that much just to scratch them."

"I was afraid of that," Daniel said, twirling his Omni-Gun.

"And be careful, Daniel," The Story-Keeper warned. "The Caretaker may put some kind of limit on your weapons to make it so you cannot win easily. He likes watching his fighters struggle.

"Lovely," Daniel muttered. He wondered what the Caretaker was going to do to his weapons. Prevent the Darwin from adapting and the Omni-Gun from transforming? Maybe limit how far they can adapt and transform respectively? Daniel realized he really did have a struggle on his hands.

"I've done all I can do," The Story-Keeper said sadly. "It's all up to you now, Daniel. Good luck." The Story-Keeper snapped his fingers and appropriately vanished.

"Well, here I am," Daniel said, looking around the station. "The Caretaker should really consider changing his name or something. Caretaker, my ass." With that, Daniel started walking down the hall, hoping something would give him a clue on what he was supposed to do and where he was supposed to go.

* * *

Meanwhile, in a room surrounded by monitors, a disgusting, spindly creature with gray translucent skin and bulging dark eyes watched the monitors with glee. Its mouth was open, revealing rotted teeth as it giggled with glee. It jumped up and down on its four gangling legs.

This despicable creature was none other than the notorious Caretaker.

"Sooooo," The Caretaker giggled. "The Story-Keeper's finally decided to stick his pretty little nose in my business. Ooh pity about the Shrouded Queen. We could've had so much fun together! And who's this he sent?" He studied Daniel on the screen. "Hmm. Doesn't look very impressive. But those weapons of his. They have the Story-Keeper's stink on them...that makes them _interesting_. You always did favor the underdog, didn't you, Story-Keeper. You really think your little errand boy can stop me? He can try, but not even you can ruin my fun! And fun with your little chosen one is exactly what I'm gonna do. I hope he doesn't get eliminated too early."

And with that, the Caretaker burst into more maniacal laughter.

"But first, what should I do about those weapons," The Caretaker chuckled. "After all, the Story-Keeper was right. I don't this to be _too_ easy for him. Hehehe!"

**End of Chapter**

**Well, how was it? It probably wasn't that good but I hope it wasn't terrible either.**

**If you're curious about the tournament, look up Rapidfyrez's profile. That will have all the information you need. Wish Daniel luck. From what I've seen about the other contestants, he's really gonna need it.**


	2. Round 1

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except my OC.**

**I'm sorry if this fight turns out to be disappointing. I'n new at this and I haven't really fleshed out what my guy can do in a fight. (There hasn't been any action scenes in my Snow Queen and the Winter Knight series yet. I've only just finished the prologue.)**

**And I apologize to thesightstillhauntsme if I goofed up his character. I haven't scene any fight scenes with him in it and I still don't know how his dialogue accurately works.**

**DanielThe Calling**

**Round 1**

Daniel hated walking down creepy hallways, which he was doing right now. The Darwin in one hand and the Omni-Gun in the other. Nothing was heard except for the echoing of his footsteps. Maybe he should've taken comfort in that but all it did was give him goosebumps. You never knew what was lurking and what could jump out at you. Not to mention he really had no idea how this tournament worked.

"Why couldn't we all have been transported in a group and fought through some kind of picking system?" He asked himself.

_That's not how things work around here._

Daniel jumped at the sudden voice he heard inside his head. "What the..."

_Don't say anything, Daniel. It's me._

The Story-Keeper!

_That's right. Listen, I'm communicating with you telepathically._

_I can see that._ Daniel thought._ But why? I thought you vamoosed when you dropped me off._

_Keep going forward and act like nothing's wrong. I'll explain as you do._

Not really thrilled at having another voice in his head, Daniel nonetheless trudged onward, looking for sign of life, or lack thereof.

_I want to help you, Daniel. _The Story-Keeper insisted. _But I'm afraid I can't do much at the moment. The best I can do is be a guide and adviser in your upcoming battles. Plus, at least you have somebody to talk to._

It wasn't much but Daniel was happy to talk any help he could get. And yes, he did appreciate having someone to talk that wasn't likely to kill him.

_As for why the fighters aren't brought together and fight in the more...traditional sense, that's just not how things are done here. Whether or not it's the station's doing or the Caretaker's I do not know._

_Swell. _Daniel thought to himself as he roamed the hallways some more.

_But your opponents are likely to jump out at any minute. _The Story-Keeper warned. _Have you chosen what forms your Omni-Gun will take for the upcoming battles?_

_Not yet. _Daniel admitted sheepishly.

_You'd better get on that._

Nodding even though the Story-Keeper probably couldn't see, Daniel whipped out the Omni-Gun. It was currently its default form: a Smith and Wesson Model 29 .44 Magnum revolver. That was one form down.

Daniel began focusing on the second form. In less than a minute, the revolver morphed itself into a sawed off pump action shotgun. For the third form, Daniel had it morphed into an AK-47. For the fourth form, he had the gun transform into an RPG. Now Daniel decided it was time for serious firepower. Since apparently this station was in an nexus of the multiverse, Daniel wanted to go for something big. For the fifth form he had the gun transform into a Gatling Ion Blaster, similar to the one Emperor Zurg wielded in Buzz Lightyear's universe. The gun was pretty big, luckily Daniel's mechanical arm allowed him to hold it without much difficulty. For awhile anyway. He'd save that one as one of his heavy artillery. Maybe for the next form, he would have it become a plasma blaster like his buddy Stitch used.

But for some reason, the gun wouldn't transform. Confused by this, Daniel started running a mental list of every gun he knew of. But the gun wouldn't transform. Curious, Daniel tried changing it back into the other four forms he had chosen. The gun morphed into them with no problems. It just wouldn't take on any new forms.

_I should've known! _The Story-Keeper growled. _The Caretaker must've found some way to tamper with the Omni-Gun!_

Daniel's confidence was not all that high either. His gun was stuck with mainly mundane weaponry. Was he really going to be able to win with such weaponry?

_Daniel, calm down. _The Story-Keeper said. _You __**can**__ win this. Remember, your greatest weapon is your mind. Fight smarter, not harder, and I'm sure you'll win._

Daniel frowned. He understood the importance of his wits but the Story-Keeper's little sermon did little to help his nerves. He just hoped his opponents had big enough weakness that he could exploit.

Then of course another thought was in Daniel's mind. When he did come across one of his opponents, he had to make sure to beat them without killing them. He knew this station was probably hoping for blood, but Daniel refused to kill people who were no doubt taken from their homes and forced to fight in this sick game. But...what if some of the fighters were despicable creatures who enjoyed killing others?

And then there was the biggest worry of all. What if he died? What would happen to Elsa? Daniel was determined to get back to her, but he had to take the possibility of dying into consideration.

_Story-Keeper?_

_Yes?_

_I'm going to do whatever it takes to win this and put an end to the Caretaker._ Daniel thought. _But if something happens...please take care of Elsa for me._

_...I will do everything and anything within my power to take care of her. _The Story-Keeper said, his voice quiet._ I owe you both that much at the very least._

_I mean, I'm pissed you allowed the Shrouded Queen to do what she did to me. But...if it had to be between me and Elsa, I'd rather it be me. I know she was torn up after she found out what happened. I can't imagine how she'll react if something happens to me here. Promise me that if I die...or worse, you won't let Elsa be miserable. That you'll do everything you can to make sure she doesn't lose her happiness._

The Story-Keeper actually seemed to swallow before he replied. _I promise._

And Daniel could just tell the genuine honesty in the Story-Keeper's words. _Thank you._

* * *

The Caretaker giggled gleefully as he watched Daniel roam the hallway.

"He better put up a good show, Story-Keeper," The disgusting thing cackled. "I know it was a bit unfair tampering with his weapons but if he's your chosen one, that shouldn't give him _too_ much trouble. Now who should face him? Who should face him?" The Caretaker's eyes wondered over his other screens to decide. They landed on one in particular. "Ah! Here's a good one! A nice little challenge to see if your precious hero is all he's cracked up to be. Let the fun begin!"

* * *

Daniel roamed the hall at a cautious rate. _This feels like hide and go kill._

_It does, doesn't it? _The Story-Keeper thought dryly. _I'm surprised you haven't run into anyone yet._

_Don't jinx it! _Daniel snarled angrily.

And that was when trouble came.

Just as Daniel rounded the corner, he found himself facing someone. He looked young but not much younger than Daniel. He was Caucasian, blue eyed, and had three or four white stripes running through his jet black hair.

_Shit. _Daniel thought.

_My thoughts exactly. _The Story-Keeper agreed grimly.

"So..." Daniel said tensely. "You're my opponent?"

"That depends," The guy said, just as tensely, no doubt sizing him up. "You one of the 15 other fighters here?"

"Yep," Daniel replied. "Might I have the honor of knowing my opponent's name?" While he was trying to be polite, he was actually trying to buy some time to think of a good plan. The guy didn't have any visible weapons but who knew what skills, powers, or abilities he possessed.

"Vito" The guy said evenly.

"Cool name," Daniel said honestly. "Daniel Jackson."

"So...we fight now?" Vito asked, his body tensing for combat.

"Hmm," Daniel pondered this. "You know, there's too much fighting going on in the world nowadays. Maybe peace and love would be a nice..." Just then his looked behind Vito. "What the hell is that?!"

Vito turned around to see what Daniel was looking at, only to see nothing there. Daniel had seized the opportunity to throw Darwin at him. He didn't throw it too hard because he didn't want to try and kill the guy. He had merely thrown Darwin to find out what the guy was capable of.

Vito realized that he had been tricked the moment Daniel threw Darwin. Electricity formed around his hands as he battered Darwin away with ease. He was about to attack Daniel but he was already running down a different hallway. But footsteps indicated that Discharge wasn't far behind. Daniel threw out his hand behind him. The Darwin flew through the air and back to his hand. The footsteps behind him implied the Darwin hadn't so much as nicked his opponent on its return.

"Great," Daniel muttered as he ran. "Just great. I'm going up against a guy with electric powers!"

_Calm down, Daniel. _The Story-Keeper urged.

_Calm down?! What about my arm and leg? I'm a walking lightning rod!_

_You have fought people with electric powers before. Yes, your limbs will make you more vulnerable but it just means you'll have to be more clever than usual. Fight smarter, not harder._

_Not helping! How about you give me some real advice?_

Suddenly an excruciating pain struck his back and he cried out as electricity surged through his body. He sank to the ground. His body ached, his hair was standing on end, and he had difficulty moving his robotic limbs. The footsteps were closer until Daniel noticed a pair of feet standing next to his face.

"Some great warrior," Vito said in disappointment. "Guess that computer exaggerated." He started walking off when something grabbed his foot and pulled back, sending him falling to the floor. Suddenly something was on top of him and he felt the barrel of a gun pointed at his head. He was able to see through one eye that the thing on top of him was non other than Daniel, pointing the Omni-Gun at his temple.

"Good shot," Daniel said. He had no intention of shooting Vito in the head, but he had to find a way to beat him quick before he could get more lighting out. He moved the gun to shoot Vito in the leg but apparently it wasn't fast enough. The guy actually released an entire aura of electricity from his body, blasting Daniel off his back. Vito got back up to his feet and turned to face Daniel.

"Not bad," He said. "That blast should've knocked you out cold."

Daniel grinned at this. "Sorry, but I've been hit by worse." The torture he had endured by the Shrouded Queen had given him a very high tolerance to pain. He could still feel it, but it would have to be some significant damage.

Vito shrugged. "Thought you were a pushover so I didn't use that big a charge."

Daniel scowled. He suspected as much but he hated it when his enemies looked down on him.

"But you're tougher than you look," Vito said. "So I better step it up."

Electricity formed around Vito's body. But much to Daniel's shock, the electricity somehow solidified, created a makeshift armor of electricity. And to make things even worse, he actually formed a _morning-star _of lightning in his hand.

"Oh come on," Daniel groaned. He had faced people who had electric powers and people who could form light based constructs. But not one who could do both at the same damn time!

Vito swung the morning star and Daniel had to jump out of the way in time. The morning-star smashed into the ground. Daniel gripped Darwin tightly and swung it at Vito. The electrokinetic warrior didn't bother trying to defend or dodge, no doubt certain his armor would protect him from the blade.

So much to Vito's shock, the axe struck the armor...and actually dug into it. Vito was baffled as to how this could happen until he got a good look at the blade. It was somehow composed of...diamonds!

Daniel quickly pulled the axe back and swung it again. This time Vito quickly ducked out of the way.

"Surprised?" Daniel asked, somewhat smugly. "My axe has the power to adapt...so it adapted to a form that wouldn't conduct electricity. Glad it chose something tough like diamonds though. For a minute I thought it was gonna turn into rubber."

Vito's eyes narrowed at the axe. "Pretty impressive. I've seen a lot of strange weapons before but not one that can adapt like that."

Suddenly the morning-star transformed into a sword. And then he formed his own axe in his free hand.

Daniel's face fell at the sight. "Give me a break."

Vito charged forward and swung. Daniel dodged and quickly rolled away from Vito. He got back up and prepared to attack again. But just before Darwin could make contact with Vito, the guy disappeared. Daniel didn't have much time to be surprised by this when he thought he heard something behind him. He turned around and managed just in time to Vito's sword chopping his head off. But then Vito kicked him right in the solar plexus. This stunned him long enough to dispatch another kick right to his head, knocking Daniel off his feet again and smacking to the floor. Okay, so this guy had powers and combat skills to back it up. If the Story-Keeper wanted him to fight smarter, then his brain better get into fucking overdrive!

Daniel leaped to his feet and threw Darwin again. Vito knocked it aside with ease but was caught off guard when Daniel charged at him at throwing his weapon. Daniel kicked him, the rubber soles of his shoe giving him resistance to the armor. The blow knocked Vito back but all he did was stagger. Guess he was used to getting kicked around. He pointed the Omni-Gun, still in its pistol form, and fired at the armor. As he suspected, his bullets were doing nothing to it.

"Sorry," Vito said. "But a gun like that isn't gonna hurt me." He raised his hand and fired a bolt of electricity. Daniel had managed to figure out what his plan was and just barely managed to move out of the way before the blast hit. He ran down the hallway again, needing some cover and a better combat environment. He could hear Vito following after him.

"How do I beat this guy?" Daniel asked aloud. "I don't want to kill him but I don't want him to fry me either."

_Daniel! _The Story-Keeper yelled in his head. _It's possible that this guy's power is limited. Find a way to make him exhaust it and then take advantage of his weakened state._

_And how do you propose I do that?! I'll probably get wore out before he does!_

_Find a way to put him on the defensive! Make him waste his energy protecting himself. And be clever when he manages to start an offensive._

_You keep stressing about using my head and stuff. I appreciate the sentiment but it's getting really annoying right now!_

Daniel turned around to face Vito. He had the Omni-Gun take its RPG form, got down, and fired. Vito disappeared just as the projectile zoomed at him. Daniel shot his elbow back, figuring that Vito had teleported behind him. But Vito grabbed Daniel's elbow and struck him in the face with his own. Daniel staggered and Vito used the chance to punch him in the gut. Daniel noticed Vito wasn't using his armor at the moment and used the opportunity to turn his gun back into it's pistol form and pistol-whipped him in the side of the head. Now it was Vito who staggered. Daniel swung Darwin, hoping to hit him with the flat of his axe. But Vito recovered fast enough to strike Daniel's arm. He then punched Daniel across the face. Daniel was seeing stars and surprisingly grateful for his high pain tolerance. Under normal circumstances, that punch probably would've knocked him out cold. Vito was about to attack again so Daniel had his gun turn into its shotgun form. Vito quickly pulled up a shield of electricity as Daniel started firing rounds.

"So that thing can change into different guns. Does it have unlimited ammo too or something?" Vito asked as he noticed Daniel repeatedly firing without reloading.

"Yep," Daniel said with a grin. He then transformed it into the AK-47 form and started firing more.

Both fighters knew this was a stalemate and that they needed to do something to break it. But just before either one could make their move, a stream of fire suddenly shot down from the ceiling. Daniel yelped as the ends of his longcoat got on flames. He quickly did a stop, drop, and roll to put them out.

"Ah, man" He moaned, looking at his coat. "Hey!" He yelled around. "What's the big idea?!"

* * *

The Caretaker cackled as his little plan was set into motion.

"He's got some skills but hardly impressive," He said as he watched the Story-Keeper's chosen combatant. "Perhaps if I spruce the danger up some, he'll show what he's really capable of!"

* * *

Daniel and Vito both jumped back as more streams of flames started shooting out of the walls.

"Booby traps!" Daniel realized.

"Brilliant deduction, Captain Obvious," Vito said dryly.

"Move it!" Daniel yelled as he started dashing down the hall. "Unless you want to wind up extra crispy!"

The two opponents found themselves running alongside each other as more flamethrowers revealed themselves. Daniel hissed whenever his clothes started catching on fire and he last track of how many times he had to roll around to put them out. If this kept up, he was gonna get dizzy. Or barbecued. Whichever came first.

Vito seemed to handling things much easier. Guess he faced booby traps on occasion.

Suddenly Daniel's attention was drawn to a new sound. A whirling, maybe hovering sound.

"Oh great," He groaned. "What now?"

Something...or rather something_s _appeared in their line of view. They were spherical in shape and not very friendly looking.

Both Vito and Daniel had the brains to quickly duck out of the way as the drones started firing at them. Daniel looked at the wall their blasts hit and could see great gaping holes now. Disintegration rays, maybe?

"Great," Vito grumbled. "But nothing like the Danger Room."

Danger Room? That sounded familiar.

Daniel didn't know how many of those drones were there, but he was confident they could easily be taken out with his Ion Blaster (which he quickly morphed hsi gun into) and Vito's electric powers. But he also saw something else here. A golden opportunity. He had a feeling he could never beat Vito in a straight up fight. He was gonna have to take a gamble.

"How about we take these things down?" He suggested. "And then we'll get back to fighting each other."

"Fine by me!" Vito said, energy already gathering around him. He started shooting lightning at the drones while Daniel followed by shooting ion blasts. But he wasn't really focusing on the drones. He was focusing on Vito, who was focusing more on the drones than him.

Now!

Pushing as much strength into his legs as he could, Daniel jumped straight at Vito. Vito had been focusing on the drones that he was caught off guard when Daniel lunged at him. He didn't have time to react as Daniel brought the back of his axe against his head. Only the blade was diamond, while the handle was wood. Vito slumped to the ground. But Daniel had no time to celebrate as he rapidly fired at the last of the drones. He didn't bother aiming. With unlimited ammo and big blasts, he could hardly miss. Soon the remaining drones were scrap piles. Daniel went over to Vito. He winced as he noticed a trickle of blood running down the poor guy's forehead. He quickly checked the guy's breathing and relaxed at hearing it.

"I'm sorry, man," Daniel said sincerely. "But I can't afford to lose right now. I don't blame you if you don't forgive me though."

Just then a section of the wall opened up, revealing some kind of speaker.

**"Winner: Daniel Jackson!" **It's deep voice boomed through the area.

Daniel scowled at the already infuriating thing.

"**Finish him!" **The speaker yelled/ordered.

Daniel sneered. "You'd like that, wouldn't you? You'd like for me to just kill a man in cold blood. I've killed before. I don't take pride in it but I've accepted it. But every time I killed, it was because i was going up against the most wretched, the most vile, the most repulsive filth the multiverse had to offer. I don't know what this guy's story is, and even if I did, I'm not gonna kill him just for some pathetic nobody's lonely entertainment. There is only one person I intend to kill in this tournament...and that's the Caretaker! So..." He then flipped his middle finger at the screen. "Up yours and your boss's!"

The speaker retreated into the wall. Daniel looked sat flat on his butt, taking a deep breath and needing to gather his thoughts.

"One down," He muttered. "Fourteen more to go. And this fight was too close for comfort."

_Don't give up, Daniel. _The Story-Keeper encouraged. _The fact is, you won. And you didn't need to kill anyone._

_Yeah. For now at least. I just hope I can keep it up till the end of the tournament. Like I said, the Caretaker is the only person I plan on killing._

_Good luck, Daniel. And be careful._

_Yeah. _Daniel got up, brushed himself off, and made his way over to Vito. An idea formed in his mind. Vito might be out of the tournament, but maybe he could still play a part. Daniel had a feeling that if he was gonna take down the Caretaker, he was gonna need allies. And Vito's powers could really come in handy. Maybe Daniel could find someway to convince Vito to help him out...if he should be so lucky.

But then Vito's body was engulfed in a blue light. Daniel was forced to cover his eyes and when he opened them again, Vito was gone.

_What happened? _Daniel wondered.

_I guess people leave the station if they lose...and are still alive. _The Story-Keeper guessed.

_Think he was sent back home? _Daniel asked.

_I'm hoping so. _The Story-Keeper replied grimly.

Daniel hoped so too. With a heavy heart, he started walking down the hallway, looking to see what would happen next. Just then his eyes landed on something in the distance. Curious, he went over to it. It was a light, black bag. Curious, Daniel opened it and checked its contents. There was food, a water bottle, and even some potions like his buddies Riku and Sora used.

_What's a bag of supplies like this lying around? _Daniel wondered.

_Maybe the Caretaker, or the Station, leaves these lying around for the contestants. _The Story-Keeper figured.

"Well," Daniel said aloud. "Waste not, want not." He pulled out a potion and guzzled down its liquid. Daniel let out a sigh of relief as the pain started going away and he felt nice and refresh.

"I'm holding onto these." He said as he shouldered the bag. "Hopefully I can get my hands on more of these things. Something tells me I'm gonna need it."

And so Daniel continued his way through the station, wondering what kind of new foes he would be going up against...and what he could possibly do in order to merely survive, let alone take down the Caretaker...and return to Elsa.

* * *

In this control room, the Caretaker scratched his chin. "Not bad in how he defeated his opponent, but I was hoping he would put off a more impressive fight. I love seeing someone defeated, but I want to see them put up a show in the process. Oh well. He wins this round, Story-Keeper. And I must admit, I admire his spirit. He thinks he can take on the likes of me? Ha! We'll see if he even has what it takes to fight against the other contestants! Will he be so lucky next time?"

The Caretaker was having a blast, not at all fazed by Daniel's little threat. Kill him? Kill _him?! _Oh Daniel was aiming pretty high. "Come and get me, little Daniel. Come and get me, if you can!"

The Caretaker began jumping up and down, giggling, laughing, cackling, screeching, and any other revolting noise one can think of. The Caretaker had a little time to kill, and it was going to make those brief moments very worthwhile. Now where he did put that little electric mutant again? He wanted to have fun with his brand new toy before the other rounds started.

**End Round**

**Well, guys. Here's my round. Again, I apologize if the fight was disappointing. On the one hand, it's given me some ideas on how Daniel will fight in my actual series. As well as what improvements I can give him.**

**I don't know what thesightstillhauntsme has done for his round but I wish him the best of luck. If I happen to make it to the next round, I'll see you all there! Till next time! Hopefully!**


End file.
